Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State has commended the Department of State Services (DSS) for a highly coordinated covert operation that led to the dismantling of a major gunrunning syndicate and the recovery of a cache of arms and ammunition in the state.
Describing the breakthrough as a turning point in Kaduna’s fight against insecurity, Governor Sani said the operation exposed how the state had become a critical transit route in the regional arms trafficking network supplying weapons to bandit groups across the Northwest.
Speaking through the Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Sule Shuaibu (SAN), the governor said the success of the sting operation affirmed the strength of Kaduna’s intelligence-led security framework known as the Kaduna Peace Model which emphasizes inter-agency collaboration and community-driven surveillance.
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“There must be some bad eggs who want to undermine government’s efforts, but the DSS in Kaduna has done an exceptional job. This is the kind of result we get when institutions work together,” the governor noted.
According to security sources, the DSS arrested three suspects in separate operations in Igabi and Kachia Local Government Areas.
One of the suspects, a 30-year-old man, was caught along Nnamdi Azikiwe Bypass transporting weapons hidden inside sacks of maize.
Recovered arms included two AK-47 rifles, a PKT machine gun, 220 rounds of live ammunition, and four magazines.
Two additional suspects, aged 44 and 38, were apprehended on the Kaduna–Abuja expressway with three AK-47 rifles, three magazines, and ₦69,050 concealed in their vehicle.
Investigations revealed that the weapons were destined for a notorious bandit network in Niger State, with Kaduna serving as a key logistics route.
Governor Sani praised the DSS for its professionalism and resilience, noting that the agency’s intelligence-led tactics are proving more effective than traditional force-based responses.
He reiterated that under the Kaduna Peace Model, there will be “no hiding place” for bandits, arms traffickers, or their enablers.
He also applauded the synergy among all security agencies, crediting their cooperation with making Kaduna one of the more stable states in the region. “His Excellency has been consistent in supporting all security agencies, and that teamwork is clearly paying off,” Shuaibu added.
Sani urged residents to remain vigilant and cooperative, encouraging timely reporting of suspicious activity. “When you see something, say something. Your identity will be protected. Together, we will keep Kaduna safe,” he said.
Security sources confirmed that the DSS is intensifying its pursuit of other operatives within the gunrunning syndicate and is working to trace the broader network supplying arms to violent criminal groups across the Northwest.
